MRR Benchmarks by Industry: Where Does Your SaaS Stand?

Understanding how your SaaS metrics compare to industry benchmarks helps identify opportunities, set realistic goals, and improve your competitive position. This analysis examines 326+ real SaaS transactions to provide industry-specific benchmarks for MRR, growth, churn, CAC, and more.

Why Benchmarks Matter

Benchmarks help you:

• Identify opportunities - See where you're underperforming
• Set realistic goals - Understand what's achievable
• Improve valuation - Know what buyers expect
• Benchmark against competitors - Understand your position

Overall SaaS Benchmarks

Based on 326+ transactions:

• Average MRR: $45,000
• Median MRR: $18,000
• Average Growth Rate: 8% MoM
• Average Churn Rate: 5.2% monthly
• Average CAC: $450
• Average LTV: $1,800
• Average LTV:CAC Ratio: 4:1

Benchmarks by Industry Vertical

1. Marketing & Sales SaaS

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $55,000
• Median MRR: $25,000
• Growth Rate: 10% MoM (above average)
• Churn Rate: 6% monthly (slightly above average)
• Average CAC: $600
• Average LTV: $2,400
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 4:1

Characteristics:

• Highly competitive market
• Strong growth potential
• Higher churn due to competition
• Premium pricing common

Top Performers:

• MRR: $200K+
• Growth: 15%+ MoM
• Churn: <4% monthly
• LTV:CAC: 5:1+

2. HR & People Operations SaaS

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $38,000
• Median MRR: $15,000
• Growth Rate: 7% MoM
• Churn Rate: 4% monthly (below average - good!)
• Average CAC: $500
• Average LTV: $2,000
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 4:1

Characteristics:

• Lower churn (sticky products)
• Steady growth
• Strong retention
• Enterprise focus common

Why Lower Churn:

• HR software is mission-critical
• High switching costs
• Annual contracts common
• Integration dependencies

3. Finance & Accounting SaaS

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $42,000
• Median MRR: $20,000
• Growth Rate: 6% MoM (slower but steady)
• Churn Rate: 3% monthly (lowest churn!)
• Average CAC: $550
• Average LTV: $3,000
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 5.5:1 (best ratio!)

Characteristics:

• Lowest churn across industries
• Premium pricing
• Long customer lifetimes
• Compliance-driven switching costs

Why Finance Has Lowest Churn:

• Compliance requirements
• Data migration complexity
• Trust and security critical
• Annual contracts standard

4. E-commerce & Retail SaaS

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $35,000
• Median MRR: $12,000
• Growth Rate: 9% MoM
• Churn Rate: 7% monthly (highest churn)
• Average CAC: $400
• Average LTV: $1,200
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 3:1

Characteristics:

• High churn (business failures)
• Seasonal variations
• Price-sensitive customers
• Competitive market

Why Higher Churn:

• Small business failures
• Price sensitivity
• Seasonal businesses
• Competitive alternatives

5. Healthcare & Medical SaaS

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $60,000
• Median MRR: $30,000
• Growth Rate: 7% MoM
• Churn Rate: 3.5% monthly (very low)
• Average CAC: $800
• Average LTV: $4,000
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 5:1

Characteristics:

• Highest average MRR
• Very low churn
• High LTV
• Regulatory compliance important

Why Healthcare Performs Well:

• Compliance requirements
• High switching costs
• Mission-critical software
• Premium pricing justified

6. Real Estate SaaS

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $28,000
• Median MRR: $10,000
• Growth Rate: 8% MoM
• Churn Rate: 5% monthly
• Average CAC: $350
• Average LTV: $1,500
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 4.3:1

Characteristics:

• Lower average MRR
• Moderate churn
• Industry-specific features
• Seasonal cycles

7. Education & EdTech SaaS

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $32,000
• Median MRR: $14,000
• Growth Rate: 9% MoM
• Churn Rate: 6% monthly
• Average CAC: $380
• Average LTV: $1,400
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 3.7:1

Characteristics:

• Good growth potential
• School year cycles
• Budget constraints
• Adoption challenges

8. Developer Tools & Infrastructure

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $50,000
• Median MRR: $22,000
• Growth Rate: 11% MoM (highest growth!)
• Churn Rate: 4.5% monthly
• Average CAC: $600
• Average LTV: $2,200
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 3.7:1

Characteristics:

• Fastest growth
• Technical audience
• Good retention
• Usage-based pricing common

Why High Growth:

• Developer adoption spreads fast
• Viral growth potential
• Community-driven
• Technical audience values tools

9. Project Management & Productivity

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $40,000
• Median MRR: $18,000
• Growth Rate: 8% MoM
• Churn Rate: 5.5% monthly
• Average CAC: $450
• Average LTV: $1,800
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 4:1

Characteristics:

• Competitive market
• Moderate metrics
• Feature-rich products
• Team collaboration focus

10. Customer Support & Help Desk

Average Metrics:

• Average MRR: $36,000
• Median MRR: $16,000
• Growth Rate: 7% MoM
• Churn Rate: 4% monthly (low churn)
• Average CAC: $420
• Average LTV: $2,100
• LTV:CAC Ratio: 5:1

Characteristics:

• Low churn (sticky)
• Steady growth
• Good retention
• Integration-dependent

Benchmarks by Business Stage

Early Stage (0-12 months)

Average Metrics:

• MRR: $5,000-$15,000
• Growth Rate: 15-25% MoM (volatile)
• Churn Rate: 8-12% monthly (high)
• CAC: $300-$500
• LTV: $800-$1,200
• LTV:CAC: 2-3:1

Focus Areas:

• Product-market fit
• Reduce churn
• Improve retention
• Optimize pricing

Growth Stage (12-36 months)

Average Metrics:

• MRR: $15,000-$50,000
• Growth Rate: 8-15% MoM
• Churn Rate: 5-7% monthly
• CAC: $400-$600
• LTV: $1,500-$2,500
• LTV:CAC: 3-4:1

Focus Areas:

• Scale efficiently
• Improve unit economics
• Build brand
• Expand channels

Mature Stage (36+ months)

Average Metrics:

• MRR: $50,000+
• Growth Rate: 5-10% MoM
• Churn Rate: 3-5% monthly
• CAC: $500-$800
• LTV: $2,000-$4,000
• LTV:CAC: 4-6:1

Focus Areas:

• Profitability
• Market expansion
• Product expansion
• Operational efficiency

How to Use These Benchmarks

Step 1: Identify Your Industry

Match your SaaS to the closest industry vertical. If you're in multiple categories, average the relevant benchmarks.

Step 2: Compare Your Metrics

Compare your key metrics:

• MRR vs. industry average
• Growth rate vs. industry average
• Churn rate vs. industry average
• CAC vs. industry average
• LTV:CAC vs. industry average

Step 3: Identify Gaps

Identify where you're:

• Above average - Competitive advantage
• At average - Standard performance
• Below average - Improvement opportunity

Step 4: Prioritize Improvements

Focus on metrics where you're below average:

1. Churn - If above industry average, prioritize retention
2. Growth - If below industry average, focus on acquisition
3. LTV:CAC - If below 3:1, optimize unit economics

Benchmarking Your SaaS

Quick Assessment

Above Average Performer:

• Growth rate > industry average
• Churn rate < industry average
• LTV:CAC > industry average
• MRR growth consistent

Average Performer:

• Metrics match industry averages
• Consistent performance
• Room for improvement

Below Average Performer:

• Growth rate < industry average
• Churn rate > industry average
• LTV:CAC < industry average
• Inconsistent performance

Improvement Roadmap

If Churn is High:

1. Analyze churn reasons
2. Improve onboarding
3. Increase engagement
4. Reduce friction

If Growth is Low:

1. Analyze acquisition channels
2. Improve conversion rates
3. Expand marketing
4. Test new channels

If LTV:CAC is Low:

1. Reduce CAC (optimize channels)
2. Increase LTV (reduce churn, increase ARPU)
3. Focus on profitable segments
4. Improve retention

Industry-Specific Insights

Lowest Churn Industries

1. Finance & Accounting: 3% monthly
2. Healthcare: 3.5% monthly
3. HR & People Ops: 4% monthly

Why: Compliance, switching costs, mission-critical

Highest Growth Industries

1. Developer Tools: 11% MoM
2. Marketing & Sales: 10% MoM
3. E-commerce: 9% MoM

Why: Fast adoption, viral potential, market demand

Best Unit Economics (LTV:CAC)

1. Finance & Accounting: 5.5:1
2. Healthcare: 5:1
3. Customer Support: 5:1

Why: High LTV, lower churn, premium pricing

Highest Average MRR

1. Healthcare: $60K
2. Marketing & Sales: $55K
3. Developer Tools: $50K

Why: Premium pricing, enterprise focus, high value

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my metrics are good?

Compare to industry benchmarks:

• Excellent: Top 25% of industry
• Good: Top 50% of industry
• Average: Industry average
• Below Average: Bottom 50% of industry

What's more important: growth or churn?

Both matter, but it depends on stage:

• Early stage: Growth is more important
• Growth stage: Balance both
• Mature stage: Churn is more important (retention)

How do I improve my benchmarks?

Focus on the biggest gaps:

1. If churn is high → Fix retention
2. If growth is low → Improve acquisition
3. If LTV:CAC is low → Optimize unit economics

Should I compare to all SaaS or my industry?

Both: Industry benchmarks are more relevant, but overall SaaS benchmarks help understand broader market context.

Conclusion

Benchmarking your SaaS metrics helps identify opportunities and set realistic goals. Key takeaways:

1. Industry matters - Benchmarks vary significantly by vertical
2. Churn varies - Finance/Healthcare have lowest churn (3-3.5%)
3. Growth varies - Developer tools have highest growth (11% MoM)
4. Stage matters - Early stage has higher growth and churn
5. Focus on gaps - Improve where you're below average

Use these benchmarks to:

• Set realistic goals
• Identify improvement opportunities
• Understand competitive position
• Prepare for valuation and sale

Use our Valuation Calculator to see how your metrics compare and estimate your SaaS value. For personalized benchmarking, consider listing on CounterX where you can compare your metrics against similar businesses.

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Want to see how your SaaS compares? Use our Valuation Calculator →

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